This invention relates to an apparatus for sorting sheets or the like, and more particularly for sequencing randomly-arranged sheets or the like in a desired order.
A carrier route sequencing operation of mail for sequencing the volume of mail into a carrier route in accordance with addresses has required many hands, and with the increase of mail, an amount of labor for such sequencing operation has become very large, and therefore it has been desired to automate the operation. Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 51-105897 (Document 1) discloses an apparatus for feeding and taking out sheets or the like, in which a sorting information provided on the sheets or the like such as mail is read, and the charged sheets or the like are sequenced in an order designated by the sorting information. The Document describes that in order to sequence the randomly-stacked sheets or the like, it is necessary to sequence the stacked sheets or the like several times, and therefore a stacking section is provided just above a feeder section and is opened at its bottom to cause the stacked sheets or the like to fall on the feeder section to be conveyed onto the feeder section, and by doing so, the sorting (sequencing) is repeatedly effected to sequence the charged sheets or the like in an order designated by the sorting information.
Card sequencing apparatuses are disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication Nos. 5-342422 (Document 2) and 1-113888 (Document 3). Stacked cards are once sorted into a plurality of stacker-feeder sections, and then are sequentially taken out therefrom to be arranged in a predetermined order or sequence. In this technique, the stacker-feeder section is provided for each sorting class, and each stacker-feeder section must be provided with discharge rollers for separating and discharging the once stacked cards.
In the above Document 1, mail once stacked in the stacker are caused to fall on the feeder section, so that an impact produced thereby can disturb the mail in posture. As a result there is a problem that the mail are arranged obliquely when again separated by a singulator mechanism, and in the worst case, the mail get out of the sorting machine when falling.
In the above Document 2, the sorted cards are merely arranged according to sorting classes, and an order or sequence in such arrangement is not taken into consideration. In the technique of the above Document 3, cards are handled in thousands (1,000) such that the cards having the same number in hundred's place are stacked in respective temporary stackers, and are grasped by ten sets of impellers having ten grasping portions to be subjected to sequencing. Therefore, there is a problem that when a number of cards increases, the handling speed is lowered, and that when speed is tried to increase a number of the temporary stackers as well as a number of the impellers must be increased. In the technique of the above Documents 2 and 3, there is a further problem that each stacker-feeder section provided for each sorting class requires discharge rollers for discharging the cards, and is complicated in construction, and the size of the apparatus is increased.